Christian doctor is axed from panel over failing to back gay adoption

A doctor has been removed from an adoption panel because she refuses to endorse applications by homosexual couples.

Dr Sheila Matthews, who is a Christian, was told that her beliefs on gay adoption were incompatible with equality legislation and council policies.

The paediatrician had asked to be allowed to abstain from voting in cases involving same-sex couples.

But that led to her being barred from the panel altogether.

The married mother of one said she had been 'made to pay for being honest and upholding my personal integrity'.

'I don't feel that placing children for adoption with same-sex couples
is the best place for them,' said the 50-year-old doctor.

'As a Christian, I don't believe it's an appropriate lifestyle and I
don't believe the outcomes for children would be as good as if they
were placed with heterosexual couples.'

Dr Matthews said men and women brought different skills to parenting,
with mothers more nurturing and fathers more challenging. She said
children of gay adoptive parents would be more likely to be bullied.

'Professionally and personally I cannot recommend placement in a
same-sex household to be in the best interest of a child, despite what
politicians may have legislated for,' she said.

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For the past five years she has analysed medical examinations of
prospective adoptive parents on behalf of the panel to establish
whether the candidates were healthy enough to provide longterm care for
a child.

Dr Matthews would then take part in the vote to decide if the candidates should be approved.

In the past, Dr Matthews had abstained from votes on same-sex parents.

But in February a homosexual couple applied to the panel - the first
to do so following the introduction of equality legislation at the end
of last year.

Axed: Dr Sheila Matthews has been forced off an adoption panel after voicing her opposition to the idea of same-sex families

Dr Matthews was happy to interpret for the panel the couple's medical
assessments but was barred from participating after saying she would
abstain from voting.

Northamptonshire County Council told her she had been replaced on the
panel because of the ' significant problems' her views created for the
adoption service.

In a letter she was told that her stance went against complying with
the law and would not help the council attract the widest range of
suitable adopters.

She has appealed against the decision and says she may be forced to go
to an employment tribunal on the grounds of religious discrimination.

The Christian Legal Centre is backing her case and has referred it to Paul Diamond, a leading religious rights barrister.

The council said it was ' communicating' with Dr Matthews, who lives in Kettering, but could not comment further.

More than 3,200 children were adopted in England last year - 90 by gay couples.